Operation of control valve in apparatus for dispensing blends of two liquids

ABSTRACT

In apparatus for dispensing any selected one of a plurality of blends of liquid motor fuels of different octane ratings or numbers, or in the alternative either motor fuel alone, a dual control valve is used to govern the flow of the two fuels to the dispensing nozzle. Each time any one of the blends is manually selected for dispensing, the dual control valve is automatically adjusted (by means of a biasing arrangement) to open wide the higher octane fuel portion of the dual valve and to close completely the lower octane fuel portion of the dual valve.

United States Patent 1 1 Y ung 1 1 Jul 24, 1973 [5 OPERATION OF CONTROL V-ALVE IN 3,152,724 l0/l964 Jauch et al 222/26 APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING BLENDS 0F 3,232,484 2/1966 Young 222/26 TWO LIQUIDS Inventor: Einar T. Young, Newtown Square,

Assignee: Sun Oil Company of Pennsylvania,

Philadelphia, Pa.

Filed: June 29, 1971 Appl No.: 158,020

U.S. CI. 137/100, 222/26 Int. Cl. F16k 19/00 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1959 Young 222/26 4/1961 Young 222/26 X Primary Examiner-Martin P. Schwadron Assistant Examiner-David J. Zobkiw Attorney-George L. Church, Donald R. Johnson et al.

[5 7] ABSTRACT In apparatus for dispensing any selected one of a plural- 11 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures g /a a B oo" M 111 (F VALVE MA QLE.

40 4/ 9 59" SUBTRACTIVE GEAR eox DIFFERENTIAL GEAR BOX 3/ l6 32 34 PRICE INCREMENTL SUMMING 1 UNIT DIFFERENTIAL /7 2 Ja 7 Z9 33 9*) Q .9

2 24 SUMMING DIFFERENTIQLL 25 'rb'fif' T19 26 A -s couwran Patented July 24, 1973 3,747,624

5 Sheets-Sheet l F VAT-VB VALVE T\ I 37 4.7 3 40 4/ 1 9 SUBTRACTIVE HI GEAR BOX DIFFERENTIAL GEAR BOX 35 PRICE COUNTER 3 l6 32 34 0/ PRICE INCREMENT SUMMING 36 UNIT DIFFERENTIAL /7 .4 0 29% 33 -VARIAT0R .9 "w

24 SUMMING DIFFERENTIAL 25 1 TOTAL GALLQNS COUNTER INVENTOR.

E INAR T. YOUNG Patented July 24, 1973 3,747,624

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'IOZ INVENTOR'. EINAR T. YOUNG ATTY.

Patented July 24, 1973 3,747,624

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F l G. 4.

mvcmoa: BY EINAR T. YOUNG OPERATION OF CONTROL VALVE IN APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING BLENDS OF TWO LIQUIDS This invention relates to a control valve operating arrangement for a multi-grate liquid motor fuel dispensing apparatus.

In my US. Pat. No. 2,880,908, dated Apr. 7, 1959, there is disclosed an apparatus for dispensing any one of a plurality of grades of liquid motor fuel (e.g., gasoline). This apparatus operatesto blend together at the dispensing nozzle, in-selected proportions, a relatively low-octane or minimum-octane fuel component (which may be thought of as lo gasoline) and a relatively high-octane or maximum-octane fuel component (which may be thought of as hi gasoline). In addition to blends of the two liquids, the apparatus is capable of dispensing either the gasoline or the hi" gasoline separately, so that in general the number of grades which the apparatus is capable of dispensing is two greater than the number of blends. The patented appa ratus has a maximum dispensing capability of nine grades of gasoline, although it can be set up (as disclosed in my US. Pat. No. 3,232,484, dated Feb. 1, 1966) to dispense a lesser number than this, such as eight grades, for example.

It will be convenient herein to refer to the different grades of gasoline which may be dispensed by means of arbitrary numbers which have beenassigned to them, in accordance with the schedule given in Table l following. Table I represents a setup of the apparatus for dispensing a-tota] of eight grades of gasoline.

TABLE I Fractional Composition Grade No. (arbitrary) Lo" Gasoline Hi" Gasoline I90 7/7 O 200 6/7 l/7 210 5/7 2/7 220 4/7 3/7 230 3/7 4/7 240 2/7 5/7 250 1/7 6/7 260 0 7/7 From the above table, it may be seen that Grade 190 is solely lo gasoline and Grade 260" is solely hi gasoline. Also, Grade 240, for example, may be thought of as a higher blend than Grade 230 and as a lower blend than Grade 250, since 240 contains more hi" gasoline than 230 and less hi (or more lo) than 250."

In the multi-grade liquid fuel dispensing apparatus of the type referred to, the two liquid fuel components (190" and 260") are mixed or blended together at the dispensing nozzle, ahead of the shutoff valve in the nozzle, which means that the nozzle has a certain resid ual capacity (volume), between thepoint of mixing and the shutoff valve. This residual capacity, since it is ahead of or prior to the nozzle shutoff valve, remains filled with the grade ofgasoline then being dispensed, at the end of each dispensingoperation. This body of liquid, which in essence is stored in'the nozzle residual volume, issues from the nozzle first upon commencement of a following dispensing operation.

The residual capacity referred to in the preceding paragraph may have an adverse or downgrading effect on the octane quality of a blend being dispensed, which effect might be appreciable if only a small quantity of gasoline were being dispensed. How this comes about will now be explained. If the delivery previous to the one in question were of Grade 190, the nozzle residual volume would be filled with this lo gasoline component at the beginning of the new delivery. If the grade selected for the new delivery is any other grade, its octane quality would be slightly decreased below what it should be due to this squirt of pure lo gasoline which issues from the nozzle first. Thus, there could be occasions when the customer who orders only a small quantity of gasoline would not get his full moneys worth.

It may be noted here that a similar effect would be produced, although of course to a lesser degree, whenever the blend selected for the delivery in question is higher (that is, containing a greater proportion of hi gasoline) than the blend that was delivered during the previous dispensing operation. In this latter case, the lower blend is in the nozzle residual volume at the beginning of dispensing of the higher blend; the loweroctane liquid issues first from the nozzle and decreases slightly the octane quality of the initial delivery of the higher blend.

Obviously, the adverse effect just described could be lessened by-reduction of the nozzle residual capacity, but this capacity can never be completely eliminated, that is, reduced to zero. It may be noted that the adverse effect referred to does not occur under all conditions of operation, but only under the particular conditions described above (that is, only when a grade higher than that of the previous delivery is selected for the new delivery). It is also pointed out that, in a more typical delivery to a customer of say 10 gallons of a blend, the above-described effect is so small that it is actually negligible.

Another feature or characteristic of operation of the patented apparatus would, under certain conditions of operation, tend to produce a measurable adverse effect on the octane quality of the first gallon of a blend being delivered. This will now be explained. As described in my US. Pat. No. 2,880,908 and US. Pat. No. 3,232,484 patents previously mentioned, a dual control valve is used to govern the flow of the two liquids to the dispensing nozzle; during the dispensing of a blend (after normal or equilibrium running conditions have been reached) the two portions of this valve are controlled concurrently (that is, one portion moving towardclosed position as the other moves toward open position) through what amounts to a feedback loop through meters for the two liquids. However, for the delivery of Grate this feedback loop is in effect broken, and when this grade is selected the lo control valve is positively, mechanically moved to a fully open position and the hi" control valve is concurrently moved to a fully closed position. This means that, at the conclusion of a delivery of 190" fuel, the dual control valve will be in the appropriate .position (190 valve open and 260 valve closed).

If, now, a blend (such as Grade 240, for example) is selected for the next delivery, at the start of this next delivery the dual control valve will stillbe in this position (190 valve fully open and .260 valve fully closed). Thus, when this next delivery (of a blend) begins, at the very beginning only 190 or 10" gasoline will flow through the apparatus, rather than the twoseventhslo, five-sevenths hi composition of Grade 240 (see Table I). This excess of lo gasoline causes the 10 meter to operate through the feedback control loop to move the dual control valve to the position for proper proportioning of the blend selected. This excess is required for the positioning of the dual control valve, and cannot be eliminated. This extra amount of or 190 (beyond what is called for by the blend selected) tends to lower or downgrade the octane quality of the initial delivery of the blend, but here again, in a typical delivery of 10 gallons, the effect is so small as to be negligible.

It is pointed out that an effect similar to the above, but to a lesser degree, would be produced whenever the blend selected for the delivery in question is higher than the blend that was delivered during the previous dispensing operation. In this latter case, the dual control valve remains in the position appropriate for the delivery of the lower blend when selection of the higher blend is made, so that when delivery of the higher blend first begins the valve is in this lower blend position.

Thus, the lower blend (that is, an excess of lo gasoline) will begin to flow through the apparatus at the start of the dispensing operation. Again, this excess of 10" gasoline causes the lo meter to operate through the feedback control loop to move the dual control valve to the position appropriate to the proper proportioning-of this higher blend. Again, this excess is required for the proper positioning of the dual control valve, and cannot be eliminated. This extra amount of lo gasoline or 190? (beyond what is called for by the higher blend selected for the new delivery) would tend to lower or downgrade the octane quality of the initial delivery of the new blend (say the first gallon thereof).

Again, the adverse effect just referred to (in connection with the operation of the dual control valve) does not occur under all conditions of operation, but only under the particular conditions described previously (that is, only when a grade higher than that of the previous delivery is selected for the new delivery).

An object of this invention is to provide an arrangement, in a multi-grade liquid fuel dispensing apparatus, for improving the octane quality of the first gallon of a new (i.e., one different from the previously-delivered one) blend being delivered.

Another object is to provide an arrangement, in a multi-grade liquid fuel dispensing apparatus, which counteracts the potentially adverse effect on octane quality of the dispensing nozzle residual capacity.

A further object is to provide an arrangement, in a prior apparatus for dispensing blends of two liquids and utilizing a blend control valve, for eliminating the potentially adverse effect on octane quality resulting from the mode of operation of the blend control valve.

A still further object is to provide, in an apparatus for delivering selected blends of two motor fuels of different octane numbers, an arrangement for injecting a substantially fixed quantity 'of the higher octane fuel into each delivery of a new (i.e., different) blend of fuels.

The objects of this invention are accomplished, briefly, in the'following manner: Apparatus for delivering various blends of two motor fuels includes a dual control valve for governing the flow of the two fuels to a dispensing nozzle. Means are provided for biasing the higher-octane portion of this valve to the fully open position' prior to the start of all deliveries of new blends.

This causes a substantially fixed quantity of the higheroctane fuel to be injected into each delivery of anew (i.e., different) blend.

A detailed description of the invention follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the liquid and mechanical connections of various elements involved in a multigrade liquid fuel dispensing apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an inverted plan view of part of the mechanism utilized in the apparatus, showing, in particular, gear trains for the operation of various parts;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing certain controlling means, the section being taken on the broken surface indicated by the trace 3-3 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section showing certain elements associated with the operation of the dual control valve;

FIG. 5 is an elevation looking at the right-hand portion of FIG. 4, showing a portion of the grade selecting mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a detail showing the coupling for operating a dual control valve from the output of a differential;

FIG. 7 is an elevation showing a dual control valve assembly;

FIG. 8 is a horizontal section taken on the broken surface the trace of which is indicated at 8-8 in FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated at 9-9 in FIG. 7.

For reference, an overall description of a multigrade liquid fuel dispensing apparatus to which the control valve operating arrangement of this invention is applicable, will first be given. Referring now to FIG. 1, there are diagrammed therein various elements some of which will later be described in more detail. The apparatus housing indicated at 1 may be of generally conventional type, locked against unauthorized access, and provided with windows and various operating devices accessible from the outside of the housing. Where a dispensing apparatus generally is referred to hereinafter, it will be understood that it is this housing and the parts contained therein and associated therewith, though possibly in the future certain of the parts conventionally included in such a housing may be located elsewhere. Included in the dispensing apparatus is the 10 gasoline (relatively low-octane gasoline component, Grade pump 2 driven by a motor in usual fashion and provided with an inlet connection 3 from the lo supply tank. As usual, a bypass 4 is provided containing a relief valve 5 to bypass the pump in the event that the delivery hose valve is closed. The lo gasoline to be dispensed or delivered flows through connection 6 and a conventional lo" meter 7 and thence through the pipe connection 8 incorporating a check valve 9.

A pump 10 for the hi" gasoline (relatively highoctane gasoline component, Grade 260") draws its supply ofhi gasoline from a supply tank through pipe connection 11. This pump 10 may be of the same type as the lo pump 2 and is preferably driven by a separate motor. Associated with it is a bypass l2 incorporating a relief valve 13.

The hi" gasoline pump 10 delivers the hi gasoline through line 14 to the hi meter 15 which may be of the type serving to meter the lo gasoline. Delivery from the meter 15 takes place through piping 16 which includes the check valve 17.

The and hi gasolines delivered, respectively, through lines 8 and 16, are respectively controlled by the control valves 18 and 19. Although these valves are shown as separate valves in FIG. 1, they are actually constructed as a dual valve, with a single common mechanical arrangement controlling both portions of the valve, which is to say both valve shoes, as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970, dated Apr. 4, 1961. This will be referred to further hereinafter.

From the control valves 18 and 19, the lo and hi gasolines are delivered through conduits 20 and 21 respectively, these conduits being connected to passages through a hose to a nozzle controlled by a valve, as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970 patent. The hose passages are maintained separate, communicating with each other closely adjacent to the nozzle shutoff valve, so that admixture-of the two components cannot take place to any substantial degree so as to markedly change the composition dispensed.

The 10 meter '7 provides one input 22 to a differential23, the other input to which is provided at 24 from the hi" meter 15. The output of the summing-type differential 23 at 25 represents the sum of the two quantities delivered by the two meters 7 and 15, and operates a total gallons counter 26 (which, together with a price counter to be later referred to, may constitute a unitordinarily termed a register). The counter 26 is arranged to indicate the total gallons dispensed during an operation, through a suitable window arrangement in the apparatus housing 1.

A second output from the differential 23, also correspending to total gallons, is delivered at 27 to avariator 28 in which is set the price per gallon ascribed to the 10 gasoline. The setting of this variator may be changed by a manual operation from time to time, whenever the price of the lo gasoline changes; this setting is changed only by-anauthorized person, upon proper access to the interior of housing I. This price setting is automatically exhibited through a window in l the housing 1. The output 29 of variator 28 represents the total gallons of both lo'and hi gasolines multiplied by the price of the lo gasoline.

A third output from the differential 23, also corresponding to total gallons, isprovided at 30 to a price increment unit indicated at 31, from which there is provided an output 32. As described in detail in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,908 patent, the price increment unit 31 effects the multiplication of the total gallons dispensed (at 30) by an amount according to the excess (or increment) of the price per gallon ofa grade being dispensed over the price per gallon ascribed to the lo gasoline. The output from the price increment unit delivered at 32 provides an input to a summing-type differential 33, the other input to which is 29, the differential providing its output at 34 to a price counter 35, which forms a part of the register unit. previously referred to. It may be noted here that the price increment unit 31 is termed selective gearing" in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,880,908 patent. I

The price counter 35 is arranged to exhibit through a window in the apparatus housing 1 the total cost of the gasoline dispensed.

Another output at 36 frorn the 10 meter 7 provides an input to a 10" gear box 37, while a corresponding output at 38 from the hi meter 15 provides an input to a hi gear box 39. The outputs of the "10 and hi gear boxes at 40 and 41 drive a subtractive differential 42, the output of which at 43 controls concurrently the relative positions of the lo and hi portions of the dual control valve 18, 19. In brief, with particular settings of the lo gear box 37 and the hi gear box 39, if the meters 7 and 15 indicate a proper ratio of deliver ies of lo and hi gasolines, the output at 43 is zero and does not affect the settings of the valve shoes in the two portions of valve 18,19. On the other hand, if this correspondence does not exist, an output at 43 adjusts the valve shoes to control the composition of the delivered blend. At this juncture, it is desired to be pointed out that for the dispensing of solely the lo" gasoline or solely the hi gasoline, the gear boxes 37 and 39 and the differential 42 are in effect rendered inoperative and thus out of the picture. For the dispensing of the 10" or hi components separately, the dual control valve, 18,19 is mechanically placed' in a predetermined corresponding position and is positively maintained in such position during the dispensing operation. This will be described more in detail hereinafter.

The items enclosed in the dot-dash line enclosure 44 may constitute a blend control unit, which receives the informational outputs of the lo and hi meters 7 and 15 through which the two fuel components pass, controls the valves 18 and 19 which deliver either a fuel component or a blend of the two fuel components, and actuates the counters 26 and 35 which indicate the volume and price of the fuel delivered. The blend control unit 44 isthe heart of the multi-grade fuel dispensing apparatus to which this invention relates; the overall apparatus functions to receive and mix fuel components and to maintain predetermined proportions at all rates of flow, to select and change the blend, to deliver an unmixed fuel component or any predetermined number of blends, and to visibly record the volume and price of the delivered fuel.

The present invention concerns itself with the dual control valve 18,19, and particularly with the arrangement for operating this valve. Other portions of the blend control unit 44 (to wit, the pricing and indicating portions thereof, including differential 23, gallons counter 26, variator 28, price increment unit 31, differential 33, and price counter 35) form no part of the present invention, so need not be further described herein. These items are described in detail in my U.S.

7 Pat. No. 2,880,908 patent, previously referred to.

Reference may now be made particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3. The coupling indicated at 45 connects to a shaft driven by the lo meter 7 and supplies the inputs which are indicated in FIG. 1 at 22 and 36. The coupling forms part of a gear 46 which drives a gear 47; the rotations of gear 47 thus correspond to gallons of lo gasoline. Gear 47 drives through gears 48, 49, and 50 the input shaft 51 of the lo gear box indicated at 37 in FIG. 1 and shown more particularly in FIG. 3. Shaft 51 carries the gear cone 52 which is arranged to drive through shiftable gearing 53 the shaft 54. The shaft 54 provides one input to the differential 42 through the pinion 55 secured to this shaft.

A coupling 56 is connected to'a shaft driven by the hi meter 15 and constitutes part of the connections 24 and 38 previously mentioned. The coupline 56 is secured to a shaft 57 which provides the input to the hi gear box 39. Shaft 57 carries agear cone (not shown) which is similar to gear cone 52 but is inverted with respect thereto. The gear cone on shaft 57 is arranged to drive through shiftable gearing (not shown, but similar to gearing 53) the shaft 58. The mechanical arrangement of gear cones and shiftable gearing (in gear boxes 37 and 39), described somewhat generally hereinabove, is described in more detail in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,232,484 patents, previously mentioned. The shaft 58 provides a second input to the differential 42 through gear 59 meshing with gear 60.

The output from the differential 42, diagrammed at 43 in FIG. 1, is delivered through gears 61 and 62 ar ranged to drive through a clutch 63, which may slip if overloaded, an arm 64 carried by a shaft 65.

All of the rotatable parts previously mentioned in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3 are rotatably carried by a lower mounting plate 66.

The dual control valve 18, 19 may be constructed and arranged as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970 patent, referred to above, the arrangement being such that as one portion of the valve, or one valve shoe, opens, the other portion of the valve, or the other valve shoe, closes. The relative positions of the two valve shoes control the proportioning of the lo and hi components. A rotary (rocking) motion is required for operation of the valve, as described in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970 patent, and this rocking motion is provided by arm 64 (rocking about an axis 65 which is vertical in FIG. 3), acting on the common valve shaft through a suitable linkage arrangement.

The construction and arrangement of the dual control valve 18, l9'will now be described in more detail. Refer now more particularly to FIGS. 6-9. One end of a link 67 is pivotally connected to arm 64 and provides a part of the valve driving connection referred to heretofore as 43. The other end of link 67 is pivotally coupled to an arm 87 secured to a shaft 88 which serves to mount the spring-engaged valve members 89 and 90 provided with cylindrical surfaces (see FIG. 8) engaging the interior wall of a bore in the valve housing 91. Ports 92 and 93 cooperate with the valves 89 and 90, respectively, for the control of flow of the fuel constituents or components.

The hi gasoline enters the chamber 94 in the valve housing (this chamber thus being for the hi portion 19 of the dual control valve) through the connection 95, and the 10 gasoline enters the chamber 96 (this chamber thus being for the lo portion 18 of the dual control valve) through the connection 97, the two chambers being separated by a partition 98. The port 92 communicates with a passage 99 from which flow takes place into the interior of a sight glass 100 in which there may be located plastic balls 10] to indicate active flow. From the sight glass 100 flow then takes place through passage 102 to the tube 103 which is connected to the interior tube of a delivery hose, as more particularly illustrated in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970 patent (see FIG. 14 of such patent).

The port 93 communicates directly with the sight glass 104, which also contains plastic balls, and from which the flow takes place through passage 105 and a connection (not shown) into the outer tube of a delivery hose (again as illustrated in FIG. 14 of the U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970 patent).

The conduit 20 of FIG. I may thus be thought of as including elements 93, 104,105, and the outer tube of the delivery hose (which extends to a nozzle, as shown in the U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970 patent). The conduit 21 may be thought of as including elements 92, 99, 100,

102, 103, and the interior tube of the delivery hose (which extends to the nozzle, as previously stated).

The type of control herein involved,'except for mechanical details, is substantially that of my U.S. Pat. No. 2,977,970 patent. Once equilibrium conditions have been established near the start of each dispensing of a blend of the two liquids, the proportioning of the two liquids is effected by the dual control valve 18, 19 through what amounts to a feedback loop through the meters 7 and 15 for the two liquids. Assume that a blend or mixture of the two liquids is being delivered. Then, the shiftable gears such as 53 in the gear boxes 37 and 39 are meshed with corresponding gear elements of the cone gears such as 52. The inputs from the meters 7 and 15 occurring at 36 and 38 will effect drives of the shafts 51 and 57 in accordance with the chosen setting and the differential gearing 55, 59-62 provides an output which is equal to the difference in rotations of the shafts 51 and 57. Assuming that the flows through the meters are such that this output is zero, this means that the flows through the two meters are in a ratio corresponding to the setting of the gears. If the flows are not in this ratio, then an output is provided from the differential gearing which will effect a resetting of the valves 18 and 19 in a direction to increase the flow of one liquid or constituent and decrease that of the other to provide the desired ratio. Equilibrium would then be attained when the flows are in the ratio determined by the gear settings.

To explain the operation in a somewhat different manner, the settings of the gear boxes 37 and 39 determine the relative flows which would be required to maintain at zero the output of differential 42 to hold the valves 18 and 19 (the dual control valve) in fixed relative position. If the rate of flow of hi gasoline relative to lo gasoline exceeds the predetermined ratio, the differential 42 will have an output of such direction as to move the hi valve 19 toward closed position and the 10 valve 18 toward open position (the differential output 62 in this case rotating the arm 64 about its axis, shaft 65, in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2). The result is readjustment of the individual flows to a ratio predetermined by the gear box settings and resulting in zero output from differential 42. If the lo gasoline flow is in excess a reverse output from the differential occurs, resulting in correction of the ratio of the flows (the differential output 62 in this case rotating the arm 64 about its axis in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2). Thus, once equilibrium has been attained during dispensing (that is, once the dual valve 18, 19 has been readjusted from some previous setting to essentially that setting which controls the proper proportioning) the composition of the blend delivered is maintained at a predetermined fixed value.

The shaft 65 which carries the arm 64 is connected to a gear arrangement 68 which provides for setting of the dual control valve 18, 19 to deliver solely lo gasoline or solely hi gasoline; this gear arrangement thus will come into play when Grade 190 or Grade 260 is selected for delivery. Refer now also to FIG. 4. The shaft 65 is provided with an arm 69 engageable with one or the other of two spaced pins 70 and 71 carried by a gear 72 of helical type arranged to be rotatably adjusted through a helical gear 73 secured to a grade selecting shaft 74 which will be more fully described hereinafter. When the selecting shaft 74 is rotated to one end position (suitable for delivery of solely a particular component, either 190 or 260), gear 72 is rotated to bring one of the pins 70, 71 into engagement with arm 69, thus rotating shaft 65 and its arm 64 in one direction to close completely an appropriate oneof the valves 18 or 19 and open the other; when the shaft 74 is rotated to its other end position, gear 72 is rotated to bring the other of the pins 70, 71 into engagement with arm 69, thus rotating shaft 65 and its arm 64 in the other direction to open completely the appropriate valve 18 or 19 and close the other. Thus, when gear 72 is rotated to its most counterclockwise position in FIG. 4, pin 71 comes into engagement with arm 69, rotating this armv and the valve operating shaft 65 counterclockwise in FIG. 4, to its most counterclockwise position (wherein one of the valve shoes in the dual control valve 18,19 is fully open and the other fully closed). When gear 72 is rotated to its most clockwise position in FIG. 4, pin 70 comes into engagement with arm 69, rotating this arm and the valve operating shaft 65 clockwise in FIG. 4, to its most clockwise position (wherein one of the valve shoes in the dual control valve 18, 19 is fully closed and the other fully open).

The result of the foregoing operation is that when the grade selecting shaft 74 is rotatably adjusted to a position for delivery of Grade 190, the dual control valve 18, 19 is positively,'mechanically operated to the 190 open position, to deliver solely lo gasoline. On the other hand, when the shaft 74 is adjusted to a position for delivery of Grade 260, the dual control valve is positively, mechanically operated to the 260 open position, to deliver solely hi gasoline.

The operation described up to this point is like that described in my 2,880,908 patent, above referred to.

. The dual control valve operation in the apparatus so far described can be set forth for three different situations. 1) If Grade 190 is selected for delivery, the dual control valve 18, 19 is positively, mechanically (at the time .of grade selection) operated to the 190 open position by thearrangement 68, and remains there throughout the entire dispensing operation; this is effected irrespective of what grade was delivered during the previous dispensing operation. (2) If Grade 260 is selected for delivery, the dual control valve is positively, mechanically (at the time of grade selection) operated to the 260 open position by the arrangement 68, and remains there throughout the entire dispensing operation; again, this iscffected irrespective of what grade was delivered during the previous dispensing operation. (3) If any of Grades 200 through 250 (that is, any of the blends of the two liquids) is selected for delivery, the position of the dual control valve 18,

19 is not changed during the grade selection operation, which means that it remains in the position in which it was at the end of the previous dispensing operation. Hence, the dispensing operation'for the newly-selected grade would start with the valve in thisunchanged posiblend, between the 190 open and the 260 open positions.

As described previously, when a blend is selected for delivery after a previous delivery of 190 or of a lower blend, there will (as a result of liquid from the previous delivery accumulated in the nozzle residual capacity, and as a result of the unavoidable excess of 190 required for the proper positioning of the dual control valve for the new blend) be delivered a slight excess of Grade 190, and this excess of lo gasoline may downgrade the octane quality of a small quantity of the new blend, say the first gallon, to an extent which is measurable.

According to this invention, the dual control valve 18, 19 is automatically brought to the 260 open" position (that is, to a position wherein the hi portion of the valve is opened wide and the lo portion of the valve is fully closed) for the start of each delivery of a newly-selected blend; this is done by so biasing the valve that it will move to this position each time it is free to do so, which means in effect each time that the gearing in gear boxes 37 and 39 is disengaged concomitant to the selection of a blend. i

The dual control valve may for example be biased toward the 260 open" position by the application of a spring biasto the valve operating arm 64. One end of a coiled tension spring 75 passes through a hole 76 in arm 64, thereby to secure this end of the spring to arm 64. The other end of spring 75 is attached to a projecting post 77 (projecting downwardly when viewed as in FIG. 3) rigidly secured to mounting plate 66. Spring 75 biases the valve operating arm 64 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2, which is the direction to open the hi valve 19 and close the lo valve 18. Spring 75 is sufficiently strong to .move arm 64 (if the latter is free to move) to the extreme limit of its travel in the clockwise direction in FIG. 2, which limit corresponds to the 260 open position of dual control valve'18,l9(lo valve 18 completely closed and hi valve 19 fully open).

The effect of spring 75 is to bring the dual control valve to the 260 open position for the start of all newly-selected blend deliveries. In this connection, it may be noted that, when either Grade 190 or Grade 260 is selected for dispensing, the gear arrangement 68 positively moves the dual control valve 18,19 to the 190 open or 260 open position, respectively, by means of pins or 71, independently of spring 75, the movement to the 190 open position, of course, being against the force exerted by spring 75. Thus, at the start ofa delivery of Grade 190, the dual control valve 18, 19 is in the 190 open position; at the start of a delivcry of Grade 260, the control valve is in the 260 open position. Furthermore, although the spring brings the control valve to the 260 open" position for the start or initiation of all newly-selected blend deliveries, it doesnot interfere, once the actual dispensing gets underway, with the action of the feedback loop (including items 37, 39, 42, etc.) in bringing the dual effect of this operation is to inject or squirt" a quantity of Grade 260 or hi gasoline into the blend being delivered (rather than injecting 190 or gasoline, as would be the case without the spring, after a delivery of 190), thereby to enrich say the first gallon of the new delivery When tested with open lines on each stream, it was found that the spring bias described (which has the effect of bringing the control valve to 260 open position for the beginning of all blend deliveries) caused an extra 128 cc of 260 to be added to the first gallon of the blend delivered, after a previous delivery of 190. It was found that the amount of this squirt" or injection of 260 remained essentially constant, no matter what blend was selected for delivery. By contrast, it was found that, without the spring bias of the invention, 125 cc of 190 was injected into the first gallon of a blend (after a previous delivery of l90).

The injection of a substantially fixed amount of hi gasoline or 260 into the new delivery of a blend, and particularly into the first gallon thereof, completely eliminates the downgrading effect on octane quality which would otherwise (absent the spring bias) result from the injection of lo or 190 into the new delivery of a blend (after a previous delivery ofl90), and also overcomes the downgrading effect (on octane quality) of 190, or a lower blend, stored in the nozzle residual capacity (from a previous delivery). In fact, in an actual field test, where Grade 240 was selected for delivery after a previous delivery of 190, the spring biasing arrangement of this invention resulted in an average improvement of +O.l3 in Research Octane Number (as compared to the same dispensing apparatus without the spring biasing arrangement), for a firstgallon sample.

Refer again to FIG. 4. Shaft 74 through a pinion 78 and rack 79 (forming the principal operating parts of the 'shiftable gearing 53, previously referred to) is arranged to slide the gears which mesh with the cones such as 52 for the driving of shafts 54 and 58. The arrangement here is preferably the same as that shown in my US. PatQNo. 2,880,908 patent (particularly in FIG. 14 thereof).

Reference may now be made particularly to FIG. 5, which illustrates a portion of the grade selecting mechanism. The grade selecting shaft 74 is provided with a transverse pin 80 to be engaged by a knob, not illustrated, accessible from the exterior of the apparatus housing 1. Rotation of this knob adjusts the shaft 74 to one of eight selected angular positions (for example) to determine the grade of gasoline to be delivered, the adjustment of shaft 74 serving to shift the gearing in gear boxes 37 and 39 (as described above in connection with FIG. 4) and serving also to adjust the gearing in the price increment unit 31 (as described more fully in my US. Pat. No. 2,880,908 patent).

The shaft 74 carries a disc 81 provided with nine equiangularly spaced pins 82 between pairs of which there is arranged to engage the nose portion 83 of a lever 84 carried by a shaft 85 and provided with a transverse pin 86 to provide coupling to the shaft ofa handle (not illustrated) available for manipulation at the exterior of the apparatus housing 1. Unless this handle is manipulated to rock the lever 84 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 5, the shaft 74 cannot be adjusted.

The arrangement 74, 80-86 operates in the manner described in my US. Pat- No. 2,880,908 patent. Ma

nipulation of shaft 85 serves to unmesh the adjustable gearing 53, etc. in gear boxes 37 and 39 to permit gear selection, as described in the US. Pat. No. 2,880,908 patent. When the customer calls for a particular grade of gasoline, the operator will first rock shaft 85 to free the nose 83 of lever 84 from between a pair of pins 82 and shaft 74 may then be operated by its operating knob to a position corresponding to a grade of gasoline desired. Assuming that one of the blends (200 to 250) has been selected, when the shaft 85 is rocked the adjustable gearing in the gear boxes 37 and 39 is unmeshed, so the arm 64 is then free to rotate. At this time, the biasing spring 75 pulls the valve control arm 64 to move the dual control valve 18, 19 to the 260 open" position, as previously described. Thus, at the start of the delivery of a newly-selected blend, this valve will be in the 260 open position, as described to enrich the first gallon delivered with a squirt" of 260 or hi gasoline.

If either 190 or 260 is selected for delivery by shaft 74, the dual control valve 18, 19 will be positively brought (by gear arrangement 68) to the 190 open" or 260 open position, respectively, independently of the spring 75.

If a blend has been manually selected for delivery, the rotation of shaft 74, through the pinion and rack arrangement at 78 and 79 (FIG. 4), effects a gear selection in the 10 and hi gear boxes 37 and 39 for proper control of the valves 18 and 19 to correspond to the grade desired, the unmeshing of the adjustable gearing by rocking of shaft permitting this gear selection. The dual control valve l8, 19 is, under these conditions, originally (i.e., at the initiation of dispensing or delivery) in the 260 open" position, due to the action of bias spring 75. This provides the squirt of 260 or hi gasoline in the first gallon delivered, as described, to enrich or improve the octane quality of say the first gallon delivered.

A short time after dispensing gets under way, however, units 37, 39, and 42 act to bring the dual control valve 118, 19 to the appropriate intermediate position for dispensing of the blend selected, and thereafter, until the end of the dispensing operation, the blend is maintained as desired through the control by the gear boxes 37 and 39 and the differential 42.

The invention claimed is:

1. In apparatus for the delivery of a selected one of a plurality of different blends of two liquid motor fuels of different octane numbers, means for selecting a blend of liquids to be delivered, means responsive to the selection made for automatically controlling the proportioning of the liquids delivered, and means for injecting a substantially fixed quantity of the higher octane fuel into a delivery of a blend of liquids whenever the blend selection is changed for such delivery.

2. Combination according to claim 1, wherein the higher octane fuel if injected is injected into the initial portion of the blend delivery, before the automatic control of the proportioning reaches its equilibrium point of operation.

3. Combination of claim 1, wherein the secondmentioned means includes valves individually controlling the deliveries of said liquids, and wherein the thirdmentioned means comprises means for yieldably urging said valves toward positions such as to effect delivery of only the higher octane fuel during the initial part of the delivery.

4. Combination set forth in claim 3, wherein the urging means is effective to urge said valves toward the said positions upon the operation of the blend selecting means to select a blend.

5. Combination set forth in claim 3, wherein the urging means concurrently urges the valve for the higher octane fuel to a fully open position and the valve for the lower octane fuel to a fully closed position.

6. Combination set forth in claim 3, wherein the urging means is overcome by the automatic controlling means upon the actual commencement of a delivery of liquid' 7. Apparatus for the simultaneous delivery of two liquid motor fuels having different octane numbers, comprising individually means metering the deliveries of said liquids, valves individually controlling the deliveries of said liquids, means operated by said metering I 9. Apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the lastmentioned means urges said valves toward said positions at the beginning of a dispensing operation, the urging being overcome by the second-mentioned means upon the delivery of liquid through one of the metering means.

10. In apparatus for the delivery of a selected one of a plurality of different blends of two liquid motor fuels of different octane numbers, means for selecting a blend of liquidsto be delivered, means responsive to,

theselection made for automatically controlling the proportioning of the liquids delivered, and means for injecting a substantially fixed quantity of a certain one of said liquids into a delivery of a blend of liquids whenever the blend selection is changed for such delivery.

11. Apparatus for the simultaneous delivery of two liquid motor fuels having different octane numbers, comprising individual means metering the deliveries of said liquids, valves individually controlling the deliveries of said liquids, means operated by said metering means to concurrently control said valves to effect the delivery of said liquids in substantially a predetermined ratio, and means for urging said valves toward positions such as to initially effect thedelivery of only a certain one of said liquids whenever said predetermined ratio is changed for a delivery.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECHCN Patent No. 3,7Ll7,62ll Dated July Z L, 1973 Inventor(s) Einart Young It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 were omitted from the drawings, and should be added On the three sheets of drawings "3 Sheets" should read l Sheets Column 1, line 6, "multi-grate" should read multigrede Column 2, linehl, "patents" should be deleted.

1 Column 5, line 1L patent" should be deleted.

Column 5, line D], "patent" should be deleted Column 5, line 59, "patent" should be deleted. Column 6, line he, "patent" should be deleted.

Column 6, line 62, "coupline" should be coupling Column 7, line 5, "patents" should be deleted Column 7, line 18, "patent" should be deleted Column 7, line 25, "patent" should be deleted Column 7, line 56, "patent" first occurrence should be deleted Column 7, line 62, "patent" should be deleted M PC4050 uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 b C U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 199 0-35-33, I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Page 2 CERTIFICATE OF CCRRECTWN Patent No. 39 4- I Dated y l-a 973 Inventor(s) Einar't T. Young;

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 7, line 66, "patent" should be deleted.

Column 8, line 5, patent should be deleted Column ll, line L l, "patent" should be deleted Column 11, line 55, PalJGIlt should be deleted Column 11, line 66, "patent should .be deleted Column 12, line 3, "patent" should be deleted.

Column 13, line 15, (Claim 7, line 3) individually" should be individual Signed and sealed this 26th day of March 1971;.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD ILFLETCHERJR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents F ORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMMDC 6O376-F'69 U.S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I969 0-356-334, 

1. In apparatus for the delivery of a selected one of a plurality of different blends of two liquid motor fuels of different octane numbers, means for selecting a blend of liquids to be delivered, means responsive to the selection made for automatically controlling the proportioning of the liquids delivered, and means for injecting a substantially fixed quantity of the higher octane fuel into a delivery of a blend oF liquids whenever the blend selection is changed for such delivery.
 2. Combination according to claim 1, wherein the higher octane fuel if injected is injected into the initial portion of the blend delivery, before the automatic control of the proportioning reaches its equilibrium point of operation.
 3. Combination of claim 1, wherein the second-mentioned means includes valves individually controlling the deliveries of said liquids, and wherein the third-mentioned means comprises means for yieldably urging said valves toward positions such as to effect delivery of only the higher octane fuel during the initial part of the delivery.
 4. Combination set forth in claim 3, wherein the urging means is effective to urge said valves toward the said positions upon the operation of the blend selecting means to select a blend.
 5. Combination set forth in claim 3, wherein the urging means concurrently urges the valve for the higher octane fuel to a fully open position and the valve for the lower octane fuel to a fully closed position.
 6. Combination set forth in claim 3, wherein the urging means is overcome by the automatic controlling means upon the actual commencement of a delivery of liquid.
 7. Apparatus for the simultaneous delivery of two liquid motor fuels having different octane numbers, comprising individually means metering the deliveries of said liquids, valves individually controlling the deliveries of said liquids, means operated by said metering means to concurrently control said valves to effect the delivery of said liquids in substantially a predetermined ratio, and means for urging said valves toward positions such as to initially effect the delivery of only the higher octane fuel whenever said predetermined ratio is changed for a delivery.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the last-mentioned means urges the valve for the higher octane fuel fully open and the valve for the lower octane fuel fully closed.
 9. Apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the last-mentioned means urges said valves toward said positions at the beginning of a dispensing operation, the urging being overcome by the second-mentioned means upon the delivery of liquid through one of the metering means.
 10. In apparatus for the delivery of a selected one of a plurality of different blends of two liquid motor fuels of different octane numbers, means for selecting a blend of liquids to be delivered, means responsive to the selection made for automatically controlling the proportioning of the liquids delivered, and means for injecting a substantially fixed quantity of a certain one of said liquids into a delivery of a blend of liquids whenever the blend selection is changed for such delivery.
 11. Apparatus for the simultaneous delivery of two liquid motor fuels having different octane numbers, comprising individual means metering the deliveries of said liquids, valves individually controlling the deliveries of said liquids, means operated by said metering means to concurrently control said valves to effect the delivery of said liquids in substantially a predetermined ratio, and means for urging said valves toward positions such as to initially effect the delivery of only a certain one of said liquids whenever said predetermined ratio is changed for a delivery. 